Bag filling device



1946- E. w. VREDENBUR'G 2,392,204

BAG FILLING DEVI CE Filed April 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

IN VENT OR Earic 14 l/redenburg na J @444 ATTORNEY.

Jan. 1, 1946. v5. w. VREDENBURG 2,392,204

BAG FILLING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 all I I I I I I I I I l I .IITTLIIIIIIIIIIIIIWIII lllllllllllll alll. w 1% w n u [11 1 h z u u 2 7 t 3 W 9 u M Q we. 5 3 o r/c 3 7 5 9 62 I I 2 u 3 O 4/ 2 W INVENTOR fdr/c W. Vredenbury BY 14)! Al ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 1, 1946 V 2,392,204' nao mtmdnnvrcn Edric'w."vredenburg Berkeloy,Calif; v I Applies-manual 24, 1943,:SerialaNo.'-:1l84;400'

'1"Cl'a.im. (craze-4s) This inventionrelates-to shag filling devices and particulariyitowa device for filling 'b'ags of the valveztypein which the: bag is sewn at: each end and includes a filling .valvedn'the side through which :the .1 bag is filled, the .valve being. subsequently. inserted or folded-to :seal the bag contents.

.Baga. filling .is normally. conducted from a hopper on: which a:-sp.out: is provided, the bag being mounted upon the spout and material 'fromit'he hopper discharged throughthe spout into the bag under the control of some feed control mechanism. To ensure that material passage from the hopper through the spout into the bag would be rapid and positive, various mechanical feeding devices have been utilized, such as rotating screws, worms and fans. These further complicate the structure since their operation must be controlled. Gravity feed of many materials has not been successful because of the peculiar characteristic of these materials, particularly when in finely divided form, to pack and lump in the filling spout.

- The present invention is concerned with a novel improved bag filling device and it is in general the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel structure of this type enabling materials to be discharged rapidly and positively from a hopper through the spout and into a bag, particularly one of the valve type.

I have found that the greatest rapidity of discharge from the hopper is secured if thespout employed for filling the container has a continuous connection with the bottom of the hopper. One would ordinarily expect that it would be ample to place a spout at the lowermost point in the hopper and to permit material to discharge from this spout. However, in practice I have found that if the spout is connected completely across the hopper bottom, the greatest rate of discharge can be secured. Further, I have found that, particularly in the case of valved bags, the

filling spout should be open to permit ready release of air. Even though the spout is seemingly completely filled with material rushing rapidly from the hopper through the spout, filling of the container is increased materially by an open ended spout.

The invention includes other objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of machine of this invention is disclosed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof,

=-Figure 1 is a frontelevation; partlycut awayfio illustrate certain detailsof construction;

Figure 2 is -a sideelevation of :the machine shown inFigui-e '1. v a a Referring to Figure 1 1 I- have provided? a suitable frame indicated --generallyat 16 for supporting'the weighing beam l'in pivot blocks 'l 'h'e Weighing *beamhas the "form and .configuration generally shown-at 2'! i 3 in myaPatent 2,314,299. -A eounterbalahce ishung on one endof the beam whilea -hopper stru'cturegenerally indicated at H including a hopper: iii mounted by pivotv blocks 12 on: pivots tS -at the other end of the weighing beam. This type of mounting is shown and described in my aforesaid patent.

To provide for feed of material, a container I6 is provided above the hopper structure II in a position to discharge through opening I! into hopper lllj A movable gate [8 is mounted on shaft I9 and is oscillated across opening I1 by handle 20 secured to shaft I9. Normally handle 20 is rockedcounterclockwise (Figure 2) by an operator until lever 22 on shaft I9 has moved across arcuate face 23 on lever 24 until it drops into notch 26.

The lever 24 is hinged intermediate its ends at 21 on a member 28 whichis mounted on one side of the frame. The lever 24 is free to rock counter-clockwise to admit the end of lever 22 into the notch; its clockwise movement is restricted by stop 29. An extension 3| is carried on the weighing beam below the extending end 32 of lever 24. This serves to release the engagement of lever 22 and notch 26, enabling counterweight 33 on shaft l9 to rock the shaft and gate 18 clockwise and shut off material flow.

The hopper ID, as appears in Figure 1, tapers in toward its bottom to direct the flow of material into filling spout 34 through a slot 36 which extends completely across the hopper bottom. The spout 34 is generally circular in cross section and projects angularly across the hopper bottom to direct flow downwardly through its first or discharge end 31 into a suitable container. In Figure 2 I have shown the spout discharging into a valved bag 38. The upper or second end 39 of the spout preferably extends beyond the end of slot 36; this end is left open to the atmosphere. The slot connection between the hopper and spout and the open ended spout enable a very high rate of discharge to be maintained from the hopper through the spout and into a container.

To support the container and retain it in position plates 4| are secured on each side of the hopper structure I l. Arms 42 are connected to the plates, the arms depending from the plates to support a rest 43 for a container which is positioned between the arms. The distance between the size of container being filled. This is achieved in the machine shownoby providing side arms 46 on each side of the rest and connecting these by removable bolts fl at desired, points. The ends of arms 42.are guided by hinged links 48 connectedtothe arms and to the frame 6 to prevent the hopper structure and ing about .pivots I 3.

the rest from swing- Suitable means are provided for retaining a container in filling position. Thenovel mecha-v the rest 43 and the spout 34 is adjusted to suit nism shown is particularly adapted for use with a valved bag. This includesfla .bell crank. 5|.

mounted at 52 between angle irons 53 .secured on the front of hopper l0. One end 54 of the bell cranks isformed as a handle while the other end 56 is faced-with rubber;,51 and is curved to This toggle is readolockwise to'release albag, the toggle rocking inwardly totpermitthebell crank-to move. When another bag'is positioned-and,handleg54 is rocked counterclockwise, the toggle moves 'into its locking-position, that ,showninFigure 2.

2,392,204 .1 L fi 'In operation, with a bag' in position and a supply of material available in container "5, an

operator rocks the handle 20 to latch the gate 18 open. Material flows freely into hopper 10,

I through the spout and on into the container or bag. When the weight of material in the hopper and in the bag equals that to be weighed out, or very nearly so,.the beam 1 moves up and extension 3| moves lever 24 to release lever 22. The 'gate then swings shuts The material continues to flow from the hopper in but since mostof it has already entered the bag, little further time is required before the bag can be removed and another placed in position.

7 I' claim:

A device. for feeding a free-flowing powdered material into a bag sewn at'each end and having a fillingvalve-in the side thereof; said device consisting of a tubular member of circular cross section, said member having its first end formed .for insertion'into the filling valve portion of a bag, the second end of said member being'open to the atmosphere, said member havingia slot formed intermediate said ends of a' width less than the diameter of said. member; and a hopper joined to said member alongthe boundaries of said slot and supporting said member with. the first end lower than thesecond end, said second end being elevated with respect to the upper end of said slot. Q EDRIC W. VREDENBURG:v 

